River / Stream Sluices - advice, information and questions

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Hello Pete_The_Prospector

Earlier in the thread you mentioned you were getting 2 Bazooka Gold trap suices shiped out. Which models did you get and how did they go?

Regards

OZDigger
 
hi guys and girls, fairly new to prospecting and was just going to aske for a bit of help in buying my first sluice, I,ll just be prospecting around Victoria,, thanks mark
 
Welcome to the forum, depending on your intentions the Angus range is great, variety of sizes but be aware that the larger ones DO need a bit of water flowing through them to have them working properly.

If you want to get into 'highbanking' then obviously you will need a decent water supply but they can handle large volumes of material, cehck out this members websight for some Videos of them in action http://www.highbanker.com.au/

If you're into DIY there are a range of options that you can find on the site.
Cheers & Good Luck in your search,
Tom
 
thankyou very much casper and teemore, im going to have a look now,thanks heaps mark
 
Got a phone call today from a mate, he said that he had knocked up a RS for me after we had a discussion whilst turning the meat at recent BBQ.

So I went around after work to pick it up, the measurements are L 1200 x T 300 x B 270 with a 100 wall either side. At 1.6mm Aluminium it is very light, so it should be good to hike in to wherever I want to go.

I am having trouble with what length of skid, bread crate, expanded mesh should I install?

I am thinking that at 1200, do I have a third for each or I am wrong? I can increase the size for any of the three as I have enough to make any changes before producing the final product and head out.

I welcome any advice about this,

Peter. :cool:
 
I'm not exactly sure on the best config for those dimensions but it would only be a matter of trial and error. Any chance of a pic? :)
 
Hey Nugget,
I will post photos just waiting for the camera to charge up, so on Sunday I plan to start work on the sluice.
I did read the post from you about posting in this area, so Sunday will be a day of cutting and snapping.

Peter. :cool:
 
The Walbanker is similarly sized, but a sluice wont always have that sort of volume or pressure, using it as a guide and its principles will help. I have built several projects at 1200, including a sluice, but use multiple configurations depending on material and flow. The trick here (and I'm not taking a shot at the breadcrate, I've just never used it in a sluice) is to get a decent amount of liquidity happening on the slick plate, the better this happens the better the capture. Vrib and expanded (raised) do a great job and some moss is also a great option. In moderate flow with classification to 1/2 inch I would run on a1200 system at least 500 slick to 400 moss with ribbed or backed matting (the expanded if flat will be fine on is own) and 400 with riffles or expanded and moss here to if not already in it. Alot of thought goes toward no moss after slick plate but i find if you use it upfront under expanded it will capture just a much as without.

So to recap, 500 slick, 400 expanded to floor vrib or moss, then the rest either expanded or riffles over moss with vrib underneath or backed mat. That's my 2 specks worth others may disagree, but a Doc says, you can't have too many interruptions or capture points, expose the gold to as many variations as you can.
 
Goldtarget said:
The Walbanker is similarly sized, but a sluice wont always have that sort of volume or pressure, using it as a guide and its principles will help. I have built several projects at 1200, including a sluice, but use multiple configurations depending on material and flow. The trick here (and I'm not taking a shot at the breadcrate, I've just never used it in a sluice) is to get a decent amount of liquidity happening on the slick plate, the better this happens the better the capture. Vrib and expanded (raised) do a great job and some moss is also a great option. In moderate flow with classification to 1/2 inch I would run on a1200 system at least 500 slick to 400 moss with ribbed or backed matting (the expanded if flat will be fine on is own) and 400 with riffles or expanded and moss here to if not already in it. Alot of thought goes toward no moss after slick plate but i find if you use it upfront under expanded it will capture just a much as without.

So to recap, 500 slick, 400 expanded to floor vrib or moss, then the rest either expanded or riffles over moss with vrib underneath or backed mat. That's my 2 specks worth others may disagree, but a Doc says, you can't have too many interruptions or capture points, expose the gold to as many variations as you can.

Thanks Goldtarget,
The only part that is missing is the moss, so I am off to Bunnings to track down the rubber backed foot mat that I have read about.
A 500 slick, 400 expanded and 300 expanded over moss, is this what you are suggesting?
As Nugget said, trial and error.

My intent is to classify down, by 1/4 inch into a bucket and then run thru the RS then check the sluice after each bucket.
The best thing about this, is that I enjoy anytime that get to go out and fossick.

Thanks for your input with project.

Peter. :cool:
 
Spot on mate. The better you classify the better it will work, no question. On a capture size that your sluice has you can afford to run for some time especially if you have three backed matting. It can take a while to reach its capture limits. I'll post up a pic if i get a chance of my banker with the configuration i use so you can see what I'm saying. You'll find that most of the time your gold will be at the top section of any configuration you decide to go with. Using a bread crate as opposed to expanded and matting may be ok, but i feel like its alot to sandwich in when raised expanded will do a really good job of capturing most things and backed by matting in my experience virtually everything. Make sure your expanded is raised, and in the correct way. Good luck mate, and if anyone else wants to add their thoughts (I'm only suggesting what has worked for me) then by all means take note. Whatever you decide just do some testing until your confident and may you find a heap of it.
 
Hi Pj. You should get a nice "V" on the slick plate with the tip of the V just before the first catch area. If things are set up correctly you should find the majority of the gold dropping in the first 300 - 400 of the catch area. If you check utube you should be able to find videos on correct water flow in a sluice. Just keep in mind a river sluice wont hace the high flow a banker does. You should be aiming for about a 50mm deep (half ur depth) at the start of your catch area.

On classification size, 1/2 inch should be all you need. Unless you are using a shaker or some other assisted method. You will find it will take too much of your time to classify down to 1/4 in the field. The whole point of a RS is to process more volume of material.

Just my thoughts on it.

Good luck with it, sounds like your on a winner

Cheers, Tone
 
Goldtarget said:
Spot on mate. The better you classify the better it will work, no question. On a capture size that your sluice has you can afford to run for some time especially if you have three backed matting. It can take a while to reach its capture limits. I'll post up a pic if i get a chance of my banker with the configuration i use so you can see what I'm saying. You'll find that most of the time your gold will be at the top section of any configuration you decide to go with. Using a bread crate as opposed to expanded and matting may be ok, but i feel like its alot to sandwich in when raised expanded will do a really good job of capturing most things and backed by matting in my experience virtually everything. Make sure your expanded is raised, and in the correct way. Good luck mate, and if anyone else wants to add their thoughts (I'm only suggesting what has worked for me) then by all means take note. Whatever you decide just do some testing until your confident and may you find a heap of it.

Thanks GT,
Sunday will be the working bee for this RS, progressive photo's of the build will be posted. Test results will following in the coming weekends.

Peter. :cool:
 
TenOunce Tone said:
Hi Pj. You should get a nice "V" on the slick plate with the tip of the V just before the first catch area. If things are set up correctly you should find the majority of the gold dropping in the first 300 - 400 of the catch area. If you check utube you should be able to find videos on correct water flow in a sluice. Just keep in mind a river sluice wont hace the high flow a banker does. You should be aiming for about a 50mm deep (half ur depth) at the start of your catch area.

On classification size, 1/2 inch should be all you need. Unless you are using a shaker or some other assisted method. You will find it will take too much of your time to classify down to 1/4 in the field. The whole point of a RS is to process more volume of material.

Just my thoughts on it.

Good luck with it, sounds like your on a winner

Cheers, Tone

Thanks Tone,
Will update after the next trip.

Peter. :cool:
 
Well hello everyone,
Today was the day that I ventured into making a River Sluice of my own as stated in the previous posts.
The sluice from my mate;
1402206928_sluice_1.jpg

The only mat that was available at Bunnings was a 600mm length, so cut to suit the width from the bottom.
1402207240_sluice_2.jpg

With the expanded mesh, I could only get a 600 x 300 section. So I measured up and cut a 600 long section, gave me an overlap for the mat and mesh areas. Leaving a 350mm skid area, not what I really wanted but I will go with this. Holding down the mesh is 4x 5mm bolts with mud washers and wing nuts.
1402207336_sluice_3.jpg

Well, it is not perfection but it is mine. Could anyone post comments if they see any improvements.So the boys' and me will head out tomorrow for some testing. If by chance it works, I'll post a photo of the finds.
1402207399_sluice_5.jpg

Busting to see what results I get tomorrow, so have to have some beers to put me to sleep for the early rise, for it is a 2 hour trip before I can start testing.
BTW, the bench that the RS is on, I picked up today from Bunnings for $99 clearance sale.

Peter. :cool:
 
Hey Guys',
Thanks for the advice about more water, as usual the advice from the fellow members well received.
A flair would work for this, so I will get a bolt on unit from my mate.

As for the days effort, well rewarded for the day. Good colour from the site, will clean up during the week and post a photo later this week.

Peter. :cool:
 
Hello all,
Albeit later than I said I would post, here is the result from the testing of my RS.
1403348330_p6210062_800x600.jpg


Going back tomorrow for another dig at the same hole.

Peter.
 

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